The governor of Santander, Juvenal Díaz, requested in writing the intervention of public forces to restore order on the department’s roads, after several days of blockades caused by protests against the increase in cadastral assessments.
In his new message, published on the night of Saturday, April 11, 2026, The president indicated that “all protocols have been exhausted” and asked the Attorney General’s Office to review whether the competent authorities are complying with their obligations.
The departmental leader had already sent a message to the national government, however, he insisted to other entities of the Colombian State, given the violations of the rights of thousands of Santander residents due to the mobilizations.
Díaz pointed out that “there are many Santander residents affected by this situation” and questioned the damage caused by the blockades, despite the legitimacy of the protesters’ requests: “There are many Santander residents affected by this situation, there is no right, no matter how fair the requests are, they are not commensurate with the damage caused,” he said.
The governor assured that the department’s Secretary of the Interior continues to lead the situation to ensure conditions that allow free mobility in the department.
The demonstrations, which began on Thursday, April 9, have affected mobility in key corridors such as the road to the Palonegro airport in Bucaramanga, among other main routes.
The blockades, carried out by peasants and rural owners, respond to the increase in cadastral valuations applied by the Agustín Codazzi Geographic Institute (Igac), A measure that the protesters claim has increased the value of their property and the property tax by up to 1,000%.
The Igac explained that these adjustments seek to reduce a historical delay in updating property values and that the measure responds to provisions of the National Development Plan 2022–2026.
The Government maintains that the opportunities for dialogue with the Protestants have been exhausted and that the situation requires urgent actions to guarantee connectivity and public order in the region. It is expected that on April 13, 2026, a National Negotiation and Concertation Roundtable will be held at the Igac facilities, with the participation of government representatives and protesters.
Governor of Santander requests urgent intervention from the national government in the face of blockages due to cadastral appraisals
The governor of Santander, Juvenal Díaz, previously requested the national government for urgent institutional intervention to restore public order and connectivity in the department.
Díaz addressed his request to the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Defense, the National Police and the Igac, and urged that immediate actions be taken and the necessary resources be guaranteed to overcome the situation. The president warned that, despite the efforts at dialogue, social unrest continues and mobility in key corridors, such as the road to the Palonegro airport in Bucaramanga, remains affected.
The Police reported blockades at points such as the Pinchote–San Gil, Bucaramanga–El Playón, Sávana de Torres–San Alberto, Cimitarra and Simacota roads. Although nighttime vehicle circulation has been allowed, the interruptions have generated fights and difficulties for the mobility of the population.
Blockades in Santander leave El Socorro, Páramo and Valle de San José without natural gas
Metrogas SAESP suspended the natural gas service in the municipalities of El Socorro, Páramo and Valle de San José as of this Saturday, April 11, due to the impossibility of access for technical personnel caused by the blockages on the roads in the south of Santander.
Company spokespersons explained that the measure responds to a force majeure event, since the continuity of the protests has affected key road corridors and has prevented the transfer of equipment, spare parts and crews necessary for maintenance and emergency response in the gas pipeline system.
The gas supply for these municipalities comes from fields on the Caribbean Coast and the Eastern Plains, and their operation depends on road access. The company warned that the restoration of service will only be possible when security conditions exist and following all established protocols.
